MLI Rules
An MLI Rule is a process that allows specific people (collected in an MLI Level) to take specific actions on specific invoices. MLI Rules are configured using diverging approval paths for different trade/category combinations. You will configure each MLI Rule based on your organization’s invoice approval workflow. In this section, you are essentially building an invoice approval hierarchy.
MLI Rules and the Approval Workflow
MLI Rules check each invoice to determine the appropriate approval workflow:
- First, it checks the trade and category of each invoice.
- Next, it checks the MLI Level to see who should receive the invoice, which Actions users in that MLI Level can take (approve, reject, place on hold, or return back), and the maximum invoice amount (or Limit) allowed for each action.
- Once the MLI Level user takes action, the MLI Rules determine whether the invoice should be either forwarded or sent back (returned) to other levels. The rules of forwarding invoices can be overridden or skipped when an invoice limit is reached.
- Finally, when the user takes action, the invoice is set to a certain invoice status.
You may also determine the number of days each MLI Level has to take action before the invoice automatically escalates to the next stage in the approval process. See Auto-Escalating Invoices for details.
To reiterate the above, let's look at these examples:
These Safety MLI Rules cover all invoices across only the Alarms, Fire/Life Safety, and Safes trades, and only in the Capital and Remodel categories.
The levels configured are for General Manager and District Manager.
Users in the General Manager level have the actions to both approve invoices up to a limit of $1,500 USD (or 1,500 in local currency), and reject invoices up to a limit of $1,000 USD (or 1,000 in local currency).
- Approved invoices are forwarded to the District Manager level in the invoice status of Reviewed.
- Rejected invoices are not forwarded to any other user in the hierarchy. In this case, the General Manager has the 'final say,' and a notice is sent to the provider that the invoice was rejected.
- Invoices are Auto-Escalated to the District Manager when the General Manager does not take action in 5 days.
- Finally, invoices that are over 1,500 skip the General Manager and are sent directly to the District Manager. (See Skips and Overrides, below, for more information.)
- For District Manager-level users,
- an invoice amount of up to 10,000 limit can be approved; these are forwarded to Facility Managers.
- an invoice amount of up to 5,000 can be rejected; again, as the 'final say,' the invoice stops in the hierarchy and a notice is sent to the provider.
- an invoice costing up to 5,000 can be placed on hold; these are forwarded to Facility Managers in the 'On Hold' status.
- District Managers can Override the General Manager by taking action on an invoice (approve, reject, or place on hold) before the General Manager takes action. In other words, the District Manager does not have to wait for the General Manager to take action. (See Skips and Overrides, below, for more information.)
- Invoices are Auto-Escalated to the Facility Manager when the District Manager does not take action in 3 days.
Finally, invoices over 10,000 do not skip the District Manager. The District Manager has to 'approve' the invoice for it to route to the Facility Manager.
Auto-Escalating Invoices
An MLI Level that has the Approve Action set to forward to the next MLI Level in the hierarchy can be configured to automatically escalate invoices after a certain number of days. This is useful so invoices do not get stuck in the hierarchy for a long period of time.
Skips and Overrides
In MLI Rules, you can skip an approver's level, and also override an approver's level.
- Skip: any invoice with an amount higher than that level's approval limit will not appear in the user's invoice list.
- Override: an approver does not have to wait for the level below to take action on an invoice. Users on that level can take action at any time.
Configuring the Default Rule Set
When you complete at least one MLI Level setup you will see the default rule set under MLI Rules. This is a catch-all rule for all invoices not addressed by configured rules. Think of the default rule set as a safety net to catch everything else that your other configured rules do not intercept.
You must create an MLI Level before creating MLI Rules. Best practice is to create all MLI Levels first so you can easily select them while creating MLI Rules.
- On the MLI Configuration page, click Default Rule Set. The MLI Rules configuration page appears.
You cannot delete any trades or categories in the Default Rule Set.
- Select the appropriate MLI Level.
Select the appropriate Action(s) users in the MLI Level are permissioned to take on invoices.
Approved and Rejected actions are selected by default.
For each Action, enter the maximum invoice monetary Limit, or leave blank to set no monetary limit to which the user may take action on an invoice.
When using Limits, you must choose an MLI Level that invoices must be Forwarded to for all invoices that fall above the Limits.
- Set each Action as desired:
- Approved: select the MLI Level the invoice is Forward To (which locks the Set Status To at Reviewed), or set the Status to Approved.
- Reject: select the MLI Level the invoice is Forward To (which locks the Set Status To at Reviewed), or set the Status to Rejected.
- On Hold: select the MLI Level the invoice is Forward To (which locks the Set Status To at Reviewed), or set the Status to On Hold.
Return: select the MLI Level the invoice is Forward To (which locks the Set Status To at Reviewed), or set the Status Open.
When selecting a Forward To, the Set Status To automatically changes to Reviewed, and the selected MLI Level will appear below it if it does not already exist.
(Optional) For the Approve action that forwards to another MLI Level, enter the number of days in the Auto-Escalate in Days field.
Approve actions that do not forward will not have the option to Auto-Escalate.
- Repeat steps 3-7 for all MLI Levels that appear when Forward to was selected. At least one MLI Level must have the Approve action set to Approved.
(Optional) Check Override to allow users in the MLI Level to review and take action on invoices before the level below takes action.
You cannot set Override on the first MLI Level on the hierarchy.
(Optional) Check Skip to route invoices to the next level in the hierarchy when invoices are above the limit of that level.
You cannot set Skip on the last MLI Level on the hierarchy.
- Click Add Level to include other MLI Levels in your hierarchy. Repeat steps 2-8 above.
- Click Save. A green bar indicates the Default Rule Set was saved. Also, on the MLI Configuration page you are now able to add customized Rule Sets.
Configuring Custom Rule Sets
Once the Default Rule Set is configured, you may then create your own Rule Sets to define your approval hierarchy. These Rule Sets define your business rules on how you want invoices to route for assigned trades and categories.
Unlike the Default Rule Set, you may add and remove the appropriate Trades and Categories that fit your workflow. You can either create a custom rule set from scratch or clone an existing set.
Best practice is to create all MLI Levels first so you can easily select them while creating MLI Rules.
- On the MLI Configuration page, click Add Rule Set. The MLI Rules configuration page appears.
- On the top of the page, add a rule set name.
- Next to Trades on the top of the page, click Add/Remove. The Trades overlay box appears.
- Check the boxes to select individual Trades, or check the Select All box.
- Click OK. The number of Trades selected will list on the page.
- Add or Remove Categories. By default, all Categories are added to Rule Sets.
- To remove individual categories: click the x next to undesired categories.
- You may also do the following (helpful when you have a long list of categories and you only want a few):
- Next to Categories, click Add/Remove. The Categories overlay box appears.
- Deselect Select All. All other checkboxes will also deselect.
- Check only the desired categories.
- Click OK. The number of Categories selected will list on the page.
- Select the appropriate MLI Level.
Select the appropriate Action(s) users in the MLI Level are permissioned to take on invoices.
Approved and Rejected actions are selected by default.
For each Action, enter the maximum invoice monetary Limit, or leave blank to set no monetary limit to which the user may take action on an invoice.
When using Limits, you must choose an MLI Level that invoices must be Forwarded to for all invoices that fall above the Limits.
- Set each Action as desired:
- Approved: select the MLI Level the invoice is Forward To (which locks the Set Status To at Reviewed), or set the Status to Approved.
- Reject: select the MLI Level the invoice is Forward To (which locks the Set Status To at Reviewed), or set the Status to Rejected.
- On Hold: select the MLI Level the invoice is Forward To (which locks the Set Status To at Reviewed), or set the Status to On Hold.
Return: select the MLI Level the invoice is Forward To (which locks the Set Status To at Reviewed), or set the Status Open.
When selecting a Forward To, the Set Status To automatically changes to Reviewed, and the selected MLI Level will appear below it if it does not already exist.
(Optional) For the Approve action that forwards to another MLI Level, enter the number of days in the Auto-Escalate in Days field.
Approve actions that do not forward will not have the option to Auto-Escalate.
- Repeat steps 3-7 for all MLI Levels that appear when Forward to was selected. At least one MLI Level must have the Approve action set to Approved.
(Optional) Check Override to allow users in the MLI Level to review and take action on invoices before the level below takes action.
You cannot set Override on the first MLI Level on the hierarchy.
(Optional) Check Skip to route invoices to the next level in the hierarchy when invoices are above the limit of that level.
You cannot set Skip on the last MLI Level on the hierarchy.
- Click Add Level to include other MLI Levels in your hierarchy. Repeat steps 8-14 above.
- Click Save. A green bar indicates the Default Rule Set was saved. Also, on the MLI Configuration page you are now able to add customized Rule Sets.
- Click Close. The MLI Rule appears on the MLI Configuration page.
Cloning an MLI Rule Set
You may clone a rule so you do not have to configure one from scratch. You may clone any Rule Set, even the Default Rule Set.
- On the MLI Configuration page, click the desired Rule Set. The Rule Set configuration page appears.
- On the top-right of the page, click Clone. The rule is cloned, and a yellow bar appears, indicating that trades and/or categories must be unique in order to save the new rule set.
- On the top-left of the page, enter a new Rule Set Name.
- Make the desired changes, and then click Save. A green bar indicates the Rule Set was saved.
- Click Close. The MLI Rule appears on the MLI Configuration page.
Deleting an MLI Rule Set
You may delete any MLI Rule Set at any time, except for the Default Rule Set.
- On the MLI Configuration page, click the trash can next to the undesired Rule Set. A confirmation box appears.
- Click Delete. The green bar indicates the rule set was deleted successfully, and the rule set will not list on the page.